Gangbé Brass Band

like 7

Gangbé Brass Band: From Ouidah To Another World

by Ian Patterson
August 18, 2026

Gangbé Brass Band, more than many groups, embodies the hybrid nature of jazz. From Ouidah to Another World, the Beninese ensemble's sixth album since forming in the late '90s, is a swashbuckling fusion of New Orleans-style brass bands and Beninese rhythms. And with jazz, it was ever thus. The jazz creation story may mythologize New Orleans and proclaim the music a uniquely American art form, but such a neat, essentialist summation downplays the back-and-forth flow of instruments, rhythms and influences ...